Carton having a hinged end closure

ABSTRACT

A rectangular carton having a hinged top closure connected to the body portion by weakened lines along the upper edges of the front and end wall panels and adapted to be opened by tearing along the weakened lines, the carton having provision for automatically locking the hinged top closure to the body portion upon reclosing the same whereby to prevent inadvertent opening thereof.

I United States Patent 1 3,653,582 Scully [451 Apr. 4, 1972 [54] CARTONHAVING A HINGED END 3,523,636 8/l970 Phillips ..229/5l TC CLOSURE [72]Inventor: John W. Scully, Raynham, Mass. Primary Examiner-Donald F.Norton [731 Assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Quincy, Anomeykobenchurch! Mass.

221 Filed: Sept. 2, 1970 1 ABSTRACT [2i 1 Appl. No.: 68,864 Arectangular carton having a hinged top closure connected to the bodyportion by weakened lines along the upper edges of {52] U 8 Cl 229/51 TCthe front and end wall panels and adapted to be opened by [51] lnt. Cl.:I I I I I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIII tearing along the weakenedlines, the carton having provision [581 mu or Search ..'....229/51 TC,5: T5 for automatically locking the hinged p closure to the y I portionupon reclosing the same whereby to prevent inadver- [56] ReferencesCited tent opening thereof.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Vergobbi ..229/Sl TCPatented April 4, 1972 3,653,582

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 uvvnvron John 14/. 5 cu// y wwzwem A TTORNE Y PatentedApril 4, 1972 3,653,582

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4

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INVENTOR John W. Scu//y WMGLQJUIGM A T TOR/VE Y Patented April 4, 1972 4Sheets-Sheet 5 lNl/E/VTOR John 14/. Sou/l y bmac LL12 A TTORNFY PatentedApril 4, 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 B fgwm 0% GM ATTORNEY CARTON HAVING AHINGE!) END CLOSURE The invention relates to a carton and particularlyto a carton having a hinged and reclosable top closure.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved cartonhaving a novel top closure providing a hinged cover which may be easilyopened andreclosed and which is characterized by novel means forautomatically locking the hinged closure to the body portion of thecarton upon reclosing the same.

The invention has for a further object to provide a novel and improvedcarton of the character specified whose structure is such as to enableit to be efficiently and economically produced on a standard high speedpackaging machine, and which uses a minimum of carton material wherebythe carton may be economically manufactured.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the carton having a hinged end closureas hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at theend of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a carton blank embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the upper portion of the blank showing the initialfolding operation to provide a two-ply band;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the car ton foldedinto rectangular form and showing the top flaps extended;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 5 showing the top closurecompleted;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the hinged top closure shown in itsopened position; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the carton showing the samereclosed;

In general, the present invention contemplates a novel and improvedcarton having a hinged top closure commonly known as a flip top" closureand which is characterized by novel means for positively locking theclosure to the body portion automatically upon reclosing the carton. Thepresent carton is an improvementover the carton having a hinged topclosure as illustrated and described in the US. Pat. No. 3,282,492,issued to John G. Verbobbi, Nov. 1, 1966, and assigned to the presentassignee. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the topclosure is formed by integral end closing portions which are folded andsealed to provide a hinged closure in the completed carton wherein thesides of the closure extend over and around three sides of the top ofthe body portion of the completed carton, the fourth side being hingedlyconnected thereto. The closure is secured in its initially closedposition by partially slit or weakened lines along three of the topclosure score lines of the body of the carton and which may be easilybroken by the user to open the carton, the closure being joined to thefourth score line to provide the hinge.

The construction of the present carton is such that it may beeconomically produced in a standard high speed carton fonning machine.It will also be noted that the present hinged closure may be producedfrom integral end closure portions using no more material than would beused in producing a normal full flap conventional end closure whereby toenable low cost production of the carton.

Referring now to the drawings, the carton blank indicated generally at10 in FIG. 1 is provided with end wall panels 12, 14 and side wallpanels, 16, 18 forming the body portion of the carton and which aredefined by prescored lines 20, 22, 24, 26, a side seam fiap 28 beingconnected to the side wall panel 18 as shown. The side wall panel 16 isalso referred to herein as the front panel.

The illustrated carton blank is provided with bottom closing flapscomprising end flaps 30, 32 connected to end wall panels l2, 14,respectively, by prescored lines 34, 36 and side flaps 38, 40 connectedto the side wall panels 16, 18, respectively, by prescored lines 42, 44.

The top closing portions of the illustrated carton blank include anintegral three-section portion, indicated generally at 46, connected tothe body panels 12, 16 and 14, which portion is adapted to be folded toform the three sides of the hinged closure or cover fitted about theupper end of the body portion. The top closure further includes a sideflap 48 hingedly connected to the side wall panel 18 by a prescored line50 and which comprises the last folded flap to form the top of thehinged cover in the completed carton.

As herein shown, the three-section cover-forming portion 46 comprisesintegral sections 52, 54 and 56 extending from the body panels 12, 16and 14, respectively, and connected together by prescored lines 57, 59.The cover-forming portion 46 is connected to the body panels along thetop score line 58 which is provided with weakened portions, herein shownas comprising elongated spaced slits cut through the material, leavingrelatively small frangible connecting portions between the body panelsand the integral cover-forming portion 46. As illustrated herein, theweakened line between the end wall panel 12 and the section 52 comprisesspaced slits 60, leaving relatively small unslit connecting portions 62.The weakened line between the panel 16 and the section 54 also comprisesspaced slits, leaving relatively small unslit portions 70. Likewise, theweakened line betweenthe end wall panel 14 and the section 56 is alsoprovided with spaced slit portions, leaving small unslit portions asshown.

The integral closure forming portion 46 is also provided with two spacedtransverse score lines 82, 84 providing elongated transverse sectionsindicated at 86, 88 of substantially equal width adapted to be foldedone upon the other to form two-ply side walls which extend about threesides of the top of the body portion in the assembled carton, leavingrelatively short flaps 90, 92, 94 extending from the side walls. Asshown in FIG. 1, the transverse section 86 is provided with cutout areas72, 74 formed in the sections 52, 56 which define tabengaging portions68 designed for cooperation with tab portions 78 formed in the end wallpanels 12 and l4'as will be hereinafter more fully described. Thesection 86 is also provided with V-shaped cutouts 96, 98 formed in thefront panel 16 and which form a continuation of the cutout areas 72, 74,the cutout portions 96, 98 serving to relieve the tension at the cornersof the assembled carton. As herein shown, the adjacent corners of theshort flaps 90, 92, 94 are cut off at 45, as indicated at 100, and theends of the transverse sections 86, 88 are also provided with V-shapedcutouts as indicated at 102.

While the carton blank is still in its developed form, as shown in FIG.1, selected areas of the inner face of the blank are provided with acoating of adhesive. Thus, a narrow strip of adhesive 104 is applied tothe marginal areas of the end wall panel 12 for sealing the same to theside seam flap 28 in the formation of the carton. The bottom closureflap 38 is provided with rectangular areas 106 of adhesive, and thebottom closure flap 40 is also provided with an adhesively coated U-shaped area 108 as shown. The transverse section 86 of the cover-formingportion 46 is'provided with adhesively coated areas 110, 112, 114 forsealing the same to the transverse section 88 to form the two-ply bandor side wall about three sides of the closures in the assembled carton.The side flap 48 is also provided with an adhesively coated area 116along the marginal portions thereof as illustrated.

In accordance with one feature of the present invention, the cutoutareas 72, 74 define engaging portions 68 which are adapted to cooperatewith triangular tab portions 78 formed by slitting the end .wall panels12, 14 and which are arranged to effect automatic locking of the closureto the body of the carton after the closure has been initially openedand reclosed. The triangular tabs 78 are rounded at their outer ends andare hinged along the score lines 20, 22, respectively.

The cutout areas 72, 74 defining the engaging portions 68 and thetriangular tab portions 78 are formed in the blank prior to assembly.More specifically, one cutout area 72 is defined by a cut line extendingfrom a point 124 along weakened line 58 on one side of score line 20 toa point 126 on the other side of score line 20. The cut line thenextends angularly upwardly at about 45 to a medial point in thetransverse section 86; then upwardly and inwardly to form a right angledefining the tabengaging portion 68; and then angularly inwardly to apoint 128 on score line 82. The cut line then extends along the scoreline 82 inwardly to a point 130. From the point 130, the out lineextends angularly downwardly and inwardly and then downwardly andoutwardly to the starting point 124. It will be apparent that the cutoutarea 74 is similarly defined. Thus, the transverse section 86 has twospaced tab-engaging portions 68 disposed in sections 52 and 56 adjacentthe score lines 20,22, and the end wall panels are slit to providetriangular tab portions immediately below the engaging portions 68 sothat in the assembled carton, the engaging portions 68 coincidesubstantially with the tabs 78 in a manner such that the portions 68hook under the triangular tabs 78. Each tab 78 is defined by a cut line,one end of the line extending from its adjacent score line 20, 22downwardly and outwardly at 45; over the rounded end portion; and thendownwardly and inwardly at 45 back to its score line. In practice, thehinged tab portions 78 tend to rock outwardly in their folded andassembled condition to permit the portions 68 to engage thereunderwhereby to effect locking of the cover to the body of the carton.

In the assembly of the carton, the closure forming portion 46 is firstfolded to provide the two-ply side wall portion or band 118. As shown inFIG. 3, the three-section portion 46 is folded downwardly along theweakened score line 58 to present the same against the outer face of thefront panel 16 with the section 86 in non-adhesive engagement with theupper end of the panel 16. The portion 46 is then folded upwardly alongthe score line 82 to present the section 88 against the adhesivelycoated areas 110, 112, 114 of the section 86. Application of pressurewill seal the sections together to provide the two-ply portion 118.

The carton blank as thus folded is then assembled into tubular form, asshown in FIG. 5, preferably by folding the same about a forming block topresent the adhesively coated area 104 in overlapping engagement withthe side seam flap 28 and applyingpressure to seal the seam. Thisfolding operation also folds the two-ply portion 118 to form in effectan unsealed band about three sides of the upper end of the body portion.The inner face of the two-ply band is free of adhesive, and the engagingportions 68 extending from the inner ply engage with the tabs 78 in theend wall panels 12, .14. The open portions 96, 98 occurring at thecorners relieve any undue strain or tension when folding the two-plysection about the corners.

In practice, the bottom closing flaps are then folded in overlappingrelation and pressed againstthe end of the forming block in the usualmanner. The end flaps 30, 32 are first folded inwardly, and the sideflap 38 is then folded over the end flaps to present the rectangularadhesive coated areas 106 against portions of the end flaps. The lastfolded flap 40 is then folded to present the adhesively coated portion108 against the remaining portions of the end flaps and also inoverlapping relation to the side flap 38 as shown. Pressure may then beapplied to set the adhesive and complete the bottom closure. It will beunderstood that the bottom closure herein shown comprises what is knownin the trade as an economy bottom closure wherein the closing flaps areshorter than the thickness of the carton and wherein the side flapsoverlap along the center of the carton, as distinguished from aconventional bottom closure wherein both side flaps are of a full lengthequal to the thickness or narrower width of the carton. The carton withits adhesively secured bottom closure is then removed from the formingblock and filled with the material being packaged.

After the filling operation, the top closure is completed in the mannershown in FIGS. 5 and 6, wherein the short flaps 90, 92, 94 are firstfolded inwardly and thereafter the hinged and adhesively coated sideflap 48 is folded down on top of the short flaps and adhesively securedthereto to produce the fliptop carton shown in FIG. 6. It will be seenthat the expedient of cutting off the adjacent corners of the flaps 90,92, 94 presents the latter in a single plane free of any overlappingportions, thus providing less bulk and forming a more efficient seal.

From the description above, it will be seen that in the completed cartonthe top closure is hingedly secured along the score line 50, and thetwo-ply band 118 of the closure extending around three sides of the topof the body portion is connected to the body portion by the relativelysmall unslit portions 62, 70 and of the score line 58 which comprise thefrangible portions between the spaced slits. In practice, the tabportions 78 formed in the end wall panels 12, 14 have a tendency tounfold along their score lines 20, 22, thus urging the tab portions intoa position to be engaged by their respective cutout portions 68. Inoperation, when initially opening the carton, it is merely necessary topull the end wall portions of the band 18 outwardly slightly todisengage the locking elements and then lift upwardly with sufficientforce to break the frangible connections whereupon the closure may berocked back on its hinge score line 50 as shown in FIG. 8 wherein thebroken away portions are indicated along the upper edges of the end wallpanels 12, 14 and the front wall panel 16. The

hinged top closure may now be conveniently closed to its ini-,

tial position whereupon the tab portions 78 will automatically flex intoengagement with the cutout portions 68 whereby to lock the cover in itsclosed position. In order to again open the carton, the locking elementsare first disengaged by pulling outwardly the end wall panels and thenlifting upwardly.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the V-shaped cutouts 102 in transversesections 86, 88 when folded to form a two-ply band provides a 45 cutoffat the ends of the band to facilitate closing of the carton. Theweakened portions, herein shown as spaced slits providing frangibleportions therebetween, may take other forms capable of being separatedupon application of a lifting force as described. In the illustratedstructure of hinged end closure, the weakened portions along the scoreline 58 are entirely concealed in the assembled carton and are protectedfrom inadvertent damage by the overfolded portions of the closures asshown.

As above described, the present hinged end closure carton may beeconomically produced in a standard automatic packaging machine whereinthe prescored carton blank is folded about a forming block. While apreferred manner of assembling the carton, as herein described,contemplates folding of the bottom closure flaps against the end of theforming block and then removing the carton to be filled through the top,it will be understood that the present invention also contemplatesforming the top closure against the end of the forming block. When thusformed, the carton is removed from the block and filled through thebottom, whereupon the bottom closure is folded and sealed, and thecarton turned upright.

From the above description it will be seen that the present carton isprovided with a hinged end closure of novel structure which may beeconomically produced with a minimum of carton material and which may bemanufactured in a standard automatic packaging machine to produce anefficient selflocking and easily opened hinged closure.

It will be observed that the present closure locking structure leavesthe front panel 16 free of any slits or cutout portions, thus having theadvantage of providing a continuous and uninterrupted printing surface.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A hinged reclosable top closure for a rectangular carton having abody portion closed at its lower end and comprising front and rear sidewall panels connected along their side edges to a pair of end wallpanels, said hinged top closure being formed by integral extensions fromthe upper edges of saidwall panels and including an integralthree-section portion extending from said front and said end wall panelsand connected to the upper edge thereof by weakened lines providingfrangible connecting portions, said upper edges lying in a common planeand said three-section portion being folded downwardly and upwardly toprovide a two-ply band about the upper portion of said front and endwall panels, the inner ply portions confronting the upper portions ofthe end wall panels of said two-ply band being partially cut out toprovide engaging portions, the upper portions of said end wall panelsbeing provided with slit openings defining tabs for cooperation withsaid engaging portions, there being relatively short separate front andend wall flaps projecting upwardly from said two-ply band which arefolded inwardly, and an inwardly folded flap hingedly connected to theupper edge of said rear wall panel and adhesively secured to saidrelatively short inwardly folded front and end flaps to provide a hingedcover connected to the upper edges of said front and end wall panels bysaid frangible connecting portions, said closure being initially openedby pulling the band outwardly and upwardly with sufficient force torupture said frangible connecting portions, said engaging portions andsaid tabs arranged to cooperate to effect automatic locking of thehinged cover upon closing and reclosing the carton.

2. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim 1, whereinthe cutout areas defining the engaging portions are disposed adjacentthe forward ends of said two-ply portions confronting the upper portionsof said end wall panels, and the slit openings defining the cooperatingtabs are likewise disposed adjacent the forward ends of the upperportions of said end wall panels.

3. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim 1, whereinthe tabs are hinged and are adapted to fiex into engagement with saidengaging portions upon closing the cover.

4. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim 1, whereinthe inner faces of said two-ply band are adhesively secured togetherexcept that the areas defining the engaging portions are free ofadhesive.

5. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim 1, whereinthe cutout portions of the inner ply adjacent the end wall panelsfurther include integral cutouts in the inner ply adjacent the edges ofthe front wall panel.

1. A hinged reclosable top closure for a rectangular carton having abody portion closed at its lower end and comprising front and rear sidewall panels connected along their side edges to a pair of end wallpanels, said hinged top closure being formed by integral extensions fromthe upper edges of said wall panels and including an integralthree-section portion extending from said front and said end wall panelsand connected to the upper edge thereof by weakened lines providingfrangible connecting portions, said upper edges lying in a common planeand said three-section portion being folded downwardly and upwardly toprovide a two-ply band about the upper portion of said front and endwall panels, the inner ply portions confronting the upper portions ofthe end wall panels of said two-ply band being partially cut out toprovide engaging portions, the upper portions of said end wall panelsbeing provided with slit openings defining tabs for cooperation withsaid engaging portions, there being relatively short separate front andend wall flaps projecting upwardly from said two-ply band which arefolded inwardly, and an inwardly folded flap hingedly connected to theupper edge of said rear wall panel and adhesively secured to saidrelatively short inwardly folded front and end flaps to provide a hingedcover connected to the upper edges of said front and end wall panels bysaid frangible connecting portions, said closure being initially openedby pulling the band outwardly and upwardly with sufficient force torupture said frangible connecting portions, said engaging portions andsaid tabs arranged to cooperate to effect automatic locking of thehinged cover upon closing and reclosing the carton.
 2. A carton having ahinged top closure as defined in claim 1, wherein the cutout areasdefining the engaging portions are disposed adjacent the forward ends ofsaid two-ply portions confronting the upper portions of said end wallpanels, and the slit openings defining the cooperating tabs are likewisedisposed adjacent the forward ends of the upper portions of said endwall panels.
 3. A carton having a hinged top closure as defined in claim1, wherein the tabs are hinged and are adapted to flex into engagementwith said engaging portions upon closing the cover.
 4. A carton having ahinged top closure as defined in claim 1, wherein the inner faces ofsaid two-ply band are adhesively secured together except that the areasdefining the engaging portions are free of adhesive.
 5. A carton havinga hinged top closure as defined in claim 1, wherein the cutout portionsof the inner ply adjacent the end wall paNels further include integralcutouts in the inner ply adjacent the edges of the front wall panel.